Self-winding means for clocks.



P. WICKES.

SELF WINDING MEANS FOR CLOCKS. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 9, 1915.

1 2 3 799 Patented Aug. 14, 1917.

2 SHEET-S-SHEET 1771164 0752 7 m Wmkes Zia 7740 P. WICKES.

SELF WINDING MEANS FOR CLOCKS.

APPLICATION HLED NOV. 9. 1915.

1,236,799. Patented Aug. 14, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PERE WICKES, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW J EBSEY.

SELF-WINDING MEANS FOR CLOCKS.

Application filed November 9, 1915.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, PERE VVIOKES, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Jersey City, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Selfinding Means for Clocks, of which the follow ing is a specification.

This invention relates in general to self winding means for clocks and more particularly to the type of clock having a weight as the motive power thereof. The object of the invention is to provide a simple and eflicient means whereby the winding is accom plished automatically when the motive power is all or nearly all expended. Other objects will appear hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this application Figure 1 shows a fragmentary elevation of a clock with the invention; Fig. 2 shows a side elevation of the essential elements of the invention; Fig. 3 shows a. right hand side view of Fig. 2.

In the drawings, indicates a drum, the axle 22 of which has connected thereto at one end the spur gear 23 and at the other end the worm wheel 24. The gear 23 is in mesh with a gear of the clock movement not shown. A weight cord 25 has one end attached to the drum 20 and is wound around the same.

A weight 26 is suspended at the other end of the said cord to actuate the clock mechanism. When the direction of rotation of the drum 20 is clockwise the clock is wound up, and the weight 26 is raised. A balanced electric contact switch with the contact arm 30 and balancing arm 31 is pivoted to a bracket 32 so that the contact arm 30 is located in the path of the weight 26.

A cord 33 connects the weight 26 and the contact arm 30. A binding post is indicated at 34 and has extending therefrom the flexible contact arm 35. A pair of electromagnets 36 are shown with the cores 37 An electric battery 40 is interposed between the electro-magnets and the contact arm 30 and the binding post 34. A wire 41 connects the binding post 34 and the electro-magnet 36. A wire 42 connects the bracket 32 and the battery 40. A wire 43 connects the electric battery 40 and the electro-magnets 36.

A flexible lever 45 has its upper end fastened to the bracket 46 and constitutes the armature for the electro-magnets 36. A pair of flexible contact arms 47 and 48 have Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 14, 1917.

Serial No. 60,586.

wire 56 connects the arm 48 and the electric motor 51. A guide bracket 60 has formed therein the guide slot 61. An oscillating worm shaft 62 is journaled at its upper end in a bracket 64. Tte lower end of the shaft 62 is guided in the slot 61. A worm 65 and a pulley 66 are fastened to the shaft 62. belt 67 connects the pulleys 53 and 66.

A link 70 has formed at one end an eye 71 by means of which it is loosely supported on the worm shaft 62, between two collars 72 on the latter. The other end of the link 70 is fastened to the flexible lever 45.

A clock is indicated in its entirety by the numeral 7 5, and is shown with the dial plate 76, and the pendulum casing 77. The weight 26, the contact arm 30, bracket 32, binding post 34 with its arm 35, the cord 25 and the ends of the wires 41 and 42 are shown in the pendulum casing 7 7 while the other elements of the invention are shown adjacent to the dial.

The mode of operation of the invention is as follows :lVhen the clock is nearly unwound the weight 26 has lowered and swung the contact arm 30 into contact with the arm 35, by virtue of which the electric circuit of the electro-magnets 36 is closed. The flexible lever 45 is thereby caused to approach the cores 37 of said electro-magnet 36. At the same time the contact is made between the arms 47 and 48 closing the motor circuit thereby transmitting rotation from the pulley 53 on the electric motor to the pulley 66 on the worm shaft 62. With the swinging of the lever 45 the link 70 causes the worm shaft 62 to swing toward the worm wheel 24 thereby meshing the worm 65 with the worm wheel 24. The axle 22 is then caused to rotate with the drum 20, whereby the weight 26 is raised. When the weight 26 has been raised, a predetermined distance depending upon the length of the cord 33, the contact arm 30 is separated from the contact arm 35, and the electro-Inagnet circuit is broken. The lever 45 swings to its normal position distant from the electromagnet and thereby the motor circuit is also broken. The motor stops and the movement of the lever arm d5 to its normal position disengages the worm 65 and the worm wheel 2%, through the agency of the link 70.

Having described my invention What I desire to secure by Letters Patent and claim is:

1. In an apparatus of the character described the combination of an axle, a gear on said axle in mesh with a gear of a clock movement, a drum on said axle, a cord wound around the drum with one end fastened thereto, a weight suspended by said cord to turn the drum and thereby run the clock movement, a worm wheel fastened to the drum, an oscillating worm shaft, a worm on the worm shaft that can mesh with the Worm Wheel, an electromagnet, a suspended flexible lever constituting an armature for the electromagnet, a connection between the lever and the worm shaft, means to control the electric circuit of the electroinagnet, with different positions of said weight, the lowest position of said weight closing said circuit and its highest position opening said circuit and an electric motor for the worm shaft, the electric circuit of the latter controlled by the flexible lever.

2. In an apparatus of the character de scribed the combination of a driving Weight for a clock, a drum, a cord wound on the drum and suspending said weight, a worm wheel connected to said drum, a flexible lever suspended at one of its ends, an oscillating worm shaft, a worm on said shaft and located to mesh with the said Worm wheel, a connection between the flexible lever and the worm shaft, an electromagnet coacting with the flexible lever, an electric motor, a pulley on the armature of the motor, a pulley on the worm shaft, a belt connecting the pulleys, an electric switch interposed between the electric motor and the said flexible lever and operated by said lever, a second electric switch in electrical circuit with I the 'electroinagnet, the latter operated by the descent of the driving weight and a cord extending between said weight and the latter switch to open it with the ascent of the weight.

Signed at the borough of Manhattan in the county of New York and State of New York this 20th day of October A. D. 1915.

PERE WICKES.

WVitnesses A. A. DE BoNNnvILLE, RALPH E. SLAYTON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

